Miraculous Maelstrom
by angelslaugh
Summary: Afraid of another Madara, the jinchuuriki are sent away from the Elemental Nations and land in Paris. Naruto, Gaara, and Sasuke end up going to the same school as Ladybug and Chat Noir - which means more surprises for both Paris and the ninja... Both welcome and unwelcome. Dark fic, very graphic.
1. Chapter 1

"This is _not_ a good idea."

Naruto's words caused Sasuke to sigh and slam his head on the table.

"What made you think _that?"_ he asked sarcastically.

"I thought it _before,"_ Naruto cried indignantly. "It's just that we're in a busy metropolis, we're _ninja_ and supposed to sneak around and stuff. Not... _Not sneak around and stuff!_ We're going to have to go to school, the old hag's going to get a job and stuff -"

"Naruto, we don't have to worry about money," Sasuke said, pinching his nose. "My Sharingan screws with people's minds. We've got ourselves a house -"

 _The house was a MANSION._

"- a LOT of money in the bank, thanks to the mayor -"

 _The mayor had given them a HUGE sum thanks to the Sharingan._

"- and with all that, we don't need to pay for the house. Only groceries. And we all know what Gaara and Roushi-san are going to do with their powers. The Hokage doesn't _need_ a job." Sasuke glanced outside. "And us sixteen-year-olds are only going to school because if we didn't we'll be caught. That's it. We're all going to different schools. Well," Sasuke amended. "Not you, Gaara, and I."

Naruto shot him a frosty look and stormed through the mansion, picking out her room and claiming it with a loud yell.

"I'M CLAIMING THE ROOM WITH THE MUSIC ON IN IT!"

Sasuke snorted, then looked at his older brother.

"Tactless, otouto," Itachi said quietly. "Telling her about you actually joining her."

Sasuke looked annoyed. "We ripped _each other's_ arms off!" He gestured to his arm, which was formerly the arm of Madara.

(Sakura had known well how to sew arms on. Sasuke was just _lucky_ enough to match Madara's DNA.)

Itachi shook his head. "She is a woman. Women are always sensitive. Possibly why I won't be surprised when it's a _woman_ that will kick your ass. Or kill you." Itachi shrugged minutely.

"You're supposed to be on _my side!_ You're my _brother!"_ Sasuke cried.

"Sucks to be you," sniggered a passing Temari. "I'm going to bunk with Fuu."

"You don't have to share rooms," Itachi pointed out quietly.

"I hate sleeping alone," Temari shrugged. "Since the war." Temari walked off, dragging her large amount of weapons with her as she entered Fuu's room.

 _Since the war._

Sasuke hated that phrase so, so much.

None of them had nightmares of the damn war as much as Naruto and Sasuke.

And possibly Itachi, who had appeared at the last minute, shocking the _hell_ out of everyone.

And if _Temari_ couldn't bear to sleep alone, what about the others?

~:~

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was early for school.

She knew it was shocking, but Miss Bustier said that she _had_ to be there. Luckily, there hadn't been any akuma attacks, or else she would have been late to welcome the three arriving students.

(And lost her place as class representative. To _Chloe._ )

Adrien, her crush, sped into class just as the bell rang.

Alya was busy filming this on her phone for her Ladyblog ("Just in case if one of them are Ladybug!" she had told Marinette and Miss Bustier in her excitement), and managed to catch what everyone missed: the arrival of the three students.

Miss Bustier cleared her throat.

"Class," she implored. "Please meet Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Gaara Sabaku."

They all looked boyish, even the blonde. He looked _good_ with the spiky long hair.

The class stared at the unusual trio in front of them.

"Three boys!" squealed Chloe. "So _hot."_

"I am a girl," the blonde boy - _girl_ \- said with an exuberant smile.

Nino chuckled. "Called it!"

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki!" the blonde announced. "I have a terrible scar covering my entire arm, so please don't touch it or take the bandage off!"

The second teen, black-haired and annoyed-looking, stepped forward. He wore a casual blazer with a tie.

"Sasuke Uchiha," he said shortly. "I'm gay."

Naruto beamed and slapped him on the back. "I knew you could admit that!" she said in that cheerful tone that was _really grating_ on Miss Bustier's nerves.

(Marinette caught the annoyed twitch.)

Sasuke shot her an unimpressed look and stepped back.

The redhead stepped up.

"Gaara Sabaku," he said icily. "I don't care to know any of you."

Naruto slapped her forehead. "Gaara, be _personable,"_ she said to the redhead. "Be happy!" She smiled brilliantly.

"I will _not,"_ Gaara said blandly.

With that, they were sent to sit behind Juleka and Rose, three to a row.

~:~

The day passed surprisingly fast. The new students were all the rage. The only one that really seemed to integrate herself with everyone was Naruto - who seemed to make fast friends with Chloe.

Well, at _first_ it seemed like that.

"Cut your hair to a manageable length," Chloe said briskly. Naruto's hair was currently a spiked mess, tumbling past her shoulders in a way that didn't seem real. It looked gelled - until Chloe proved everyone's observations of the girl's hair wrong. "And cut the gel! It would look cute if it wasn't spiky and there's too much gel. If you straightened it -"

"I won't," Naruto cut her off. "I won't cut it. It's _my_ hair. And I have no clue what 'gel' is. Is it something edible?"

She looked confused about the last part, as did Sasuke and Gaara.

Chloe scoffed. "Long hair like that can't be anything _but_ gelled. If you want to look like a hag, go ahead. Whoever you're imitating can't have been the _best_ role model."

Naruto _lunged_ at Chloe, the redhead Gaara seemed to reflexively pull her back.

"Don't you _ever_ say a word against my godfather again!" Naruto snarled at Chloe.

Sasuke glared at Chloe. Chloe flinched, her face paling.

"Get lost," he said simply.

Chloe rolled her eyes, pretending to be strong. Marinette hesitated, but then walked over to them.

Sasuke eyed her for a long moment as Marinette fished a hairband from her bag.

"Here," she said. "I saw earlier it was getting in the way of sitting down."

Naruto smiled, looking happy.

"Thank you!" she smiled. "This hair was in honor of my godfather." She touched her hair for a moment. "I'm Naruto." Marinette smiled more.

"I'm Marinette, class representative. This is Alya, class deputy and my friend." Marinette tugged Alya to her side.

"Hi! Wanna state your name, age, and are you really the secret identity of Ladybug?" Alya asked quickly. "Or, with your hair, Chat Noir?"

Naruto looked confused. "Ano... Naruto, sixteen, and I confess I do not know of this 'Ladybug' or 'Chat Noir'."

"How long have you been living in Paris?" asked Alya. Naruto's eyes widened a little more.

"Like a week?" she offered.

Alya switched to Sasuke's face. "What's your name, age, and are you the secret identity of Ladybug?"

"Sasuke, sixteen, and no," Sasuke said, coolly.

Alya opened her mouth as she switched to the third.

"Gaara, sixteen, and no," Gaara answered flatly.

Alya pouted a little. "Dang." She glanced over to Naruto. "I'm actually surprised you're not akumatized right now."

"...what?" Naruto asked, looking puzzled.

"Well, you were so upset about your hair I'm surprised an akuma didn't land on you and akumatize you," Alya said again. "A black butterfly infects you and makes you a supervillain."

" _Oh,"_ Naruto said, one of her hands coming from behind her back. A black butterfly rested in it. "This little thing? But it's so _kawaii~"_

Alya leaped back.

"I have a container!" Marinette said, pulling it out. Quickly, the butterfly was put in the container.

Naruto sighed sadly. "Bye-bye, little butterfly."

The butterfly didn't do anything but lazily beat its wings in the container.


	2. Chapter 2

***shifts awkwardly* Uhm... This fic is going to be a LOT darker than I thought it would be. So, um, when it gets closer to the sugar-induced darkness, I'll warn you?**

 **Like... Seriously dark. Just letting you know.**

~:~

Tsunade welcomed the brats home.

"What happened?" she demanded at Naruto's sunshine attitude and the other twos' surliness.

"We're going to be useful!" Naruto squealed. "These little black butterflies that are evil go around _infecting people!_ I'm going to patrol tonight!"

She _skipped_ out of the foyer, to her room.

"I see," Tsunade said. "Do what you want. Shizune! Get me some more sake!"

"I'm afraid I can't," Shizune said nervously. "If we get you more sake, we'll go bankrupt."

Tsunade sighed heavily.

 _"ARE YOU A NINJA OR NOT?!"_

~:~

Naruto took out her mask that she'd borrowed (stolen) from Kakashi.

(She _did_ leave a note...)

Slipping out into the night, she spoke to Kurama, who was awake and listening to her.

 _Do you think something bad is going to happen?_

 **Um... Kit, don't flip, okay?**

She opened her mouth, ready to ask _why,_ when there was a sickening sensation through her stomach, not dissimilar to the one that Madara had made when trying to summon Kurama. Then it passed, and Naruto was left staring at a miniature, flying Kurama.

"WHAT THE _FUCK?!"_ The teenage jinchuuriki yelled.

 **"Oh, don't flip out,"** Kurama dismissed. **"I'm a bijuu, yes, but I was originally a kwami. A god,"** he said at her confused face. **"We originally come from the Hidden Continent, or as you call it, the Elemental Nations. The kwami keep this place as the ultimate secret. As both your kwami** ** _and_** **a bijuu I can give you powers via a thing called a 'Miraculous'. When I'm not in kwami mode we can do our shared thing."** He sighed. **"Your seal will act as your miraculous. However, without me as your bijuu, you** ** _can_** **be akumatized. Sasuke is vulnerable as well, so he can't be too angry."**

"Everyone without a bijuu is vulnerable?" Naruto asked, worried for her friends.

Kurama nodded. **"As long as I'm around, like personally, you'll be fine. If not... Then you're screwed."** He grinned at her darkly. **"Just don't get upset over silly things like your** ** _hair."_**

Naruto snorted a little. "Screw you, Kurama." She ran a hand through it. It had grown out like Jiraiya's had - and if she pulled it back, she felt like she'd lose everything.

 **"To activate your Miraculous powers you need to say 'Let's go, Kurama',"** Kurama yawned. **"But how you normally say it."**

Naruto frowned. "What are my powers?"

Kurama frowned. **"You control the elements. Shukaku's brat controls sand, Matatabi's fire... So on, so forth. Since your power also lies in tricks and illusions, it will rely on your chakra to create and hold them. Oh, and speed, thanks to your father. You can run, but only a certain amount of your chakra can be used for that."**

Naruto nodded. There was always a price.

 **"When you're** ** _not_** **in your Miraculous Form, I would practice your** ** _genjutsu_** **ability. Talk with everyone around you,"** Kurama instructed briskly. **"I will speak with other kwami when I'm around them. But for now, let's get started with practicing your coordination.'**

Naruto nodded. "Alright." She took a deep breath. _"Ikuzo,_ Kurama!"

In a flash of orange, Kurama was gone. Her clothes were replaced by dark blue shinobi clothes, her mask warping and becoming one with her skin. Her eyes remained unobstructed.

In her reflection, the red lines of Kakashi's mask became one with her skin, her whisker marks darkened to be visible. Her eyes were ocean blue and her pupil was elongated.

And her chakra... Was _very_ limited.

She bit her lip. She flicked her wrist, and the wind rustled. She thought about water, and water came out of nowhere. (Or, more accurately, she pulled moisture out of the air.) Her other abilities came to her quickly - fire was harder to control as she lit a nearby bush on fire, the earth manipulation destroyed a street lamp, and the lightning control reminded her too much of Sasuke and the scar she _still_ had four years after he'd speared her chest with it.

Illusions... She could do them on herself, and only dispelled it like a chakra-made one could be dispelled; she walked into the street lamp and tripped. Hr illusion had been a forest, but it vanished after the fact.

After feeling her stomach warm, she assumed she was out of time and ran into her room - only she did leave two holes, one in the fence and one in the house.

She collapsed on her bed after that was done and Kurama came out, exhausted beyond belief.

But she was smiling, and when she crashed she had no nightmares.

~:~

Itachi was making breakfast when Naruto came out of her room, smelling strongly of strawberries. He blinked at her as she sneezed twice.

"You put on too much perfume," he said to her.

She nodded. "Had to fix the fence and the wall in my room."

Itachi blinked at her. "Did you break them somehow?"

"I have to tell baa-san what I did," Naruto said, ignoring the comment. She sneezed again. "Or you can."

Itachi blinked. "I could," he agreed. "As long as you promise to talk to Sasuke about everything." He gestured to her arm. She bit her lip, her blue eyes wide. "Or therapy in my world." He allowed a small smirk to cross his face as he willed his eyes into their Mangekyou form.

Naruto didn't seem fazed, one of the few people who never flinched at the sight of his _or_ Sasuke's final eye form, or didn't avoid them.

She gave him a grimace that was probably supposed to be a smile. "Eh, I think that talk will have to be soon, anyway." His surprise must have been obvious, or she could read Uchiha expressions quite well, because she gave him a grin that didn't match her eyes. "I'll probably need to talk with everyone during Bonding Night." Weekly Bonding Night was when they got together in the living room to hang out together. It'd started during the time the turtle had taken to get them to Paris... And therefore _never ended well._

Still, with A and Tsunade getting along better, maybe they wouldn't destroy the living room. Hopefully.

Itachi nodded, then frowned. He reached out to touch her arm, only to feel heat radiating from the bandages. Her chakra was slightly misaligned in her arm.

"Is your arm okay?" he asked, quietly concerned.

Naruto frowned and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

Itachi poked her arm. No reaction other than a raised eyebrow.

"Your chakra is slightly misaligned in your arm." He knew Tsunade could fix it (even if they were entirely misaligned, Tsunade was an amazing woman), but if the arm got infected -

Just as he thought that, the heat coming from her arm seemed to lessen, becoming more natural.

"Yeah, still working through the kinks." Naruto flexed her arm a bit. "Planning on taking the bandage off later."

She grabbed one of the plates Itachi had gotten ready. The oldest Uchiha watched her for a minute, then his brother walked into the kitchen, smelling strongly of cologne.

Naruto sneezed, and kept sneezing as Sasuke sat next to her and ate quickly. Itachi facepalmed as Gaara entered the kitchen and started sneezing, too.

"Allergic to something?" Sasuke asked dryly.

Naruto's eyes were rimmed red, but as she opened her mouth, she sneezed. Again.

Gaara pinched his nose together long enough to say, "Your cologne stinks."


	3. Chapter 3

"Did you hear? Prince Ali is coming today!" Rose squealed.

Naruto sent her bag on the table in front of her, leaning away from Sasuke as far as she could. Rose's perfume was more bearable than Sasuke's disgusting cologne.

"Who's Prince Ali?" Naruto asked curiously.

Rose turned to her. "Oh, the prince of the Achu Kingdom!" she said happily. "He's cute, too," she sighed dreamily. "You've never heard of him?"

Naruto shook her head. "No, I'm afraid my grandmother is rather eccentric." Naruto winced as more of Sasuke's cologne was smelled as Adrien walked through the door. "Rose, what perfume do you wear?"

Rose lit up and brought out a bottle. "This! It's Gabriel Agreste's female line. Want some?"

Naruto nodded, and Rose spritzed it on her. Naruto sneezed a few times, and that grabbed Ms. Mendeleiev's attention.

"Detention, Rose!"

Naruto flashed her an apologetic look, but Rose only smiled good-naturedly.

~:~

Marinette noticed that Rose was extremely excited. But she also knew that where there was a little bit of someone else's excitement, Chloe would dampen it.

"You know, it's not as if Prince Ali would ever be interested in someone like _you,"_ Chloe said snidely, plucking Rose's letter from the desk as Ms. Mendeleiev left. "He's more interested in someone like _me,_ with lots of personality."

Chloe ripped the letter in half.

Rose stared at her letter with wide periwinkle eyes. She burst into tears, racing out of the room. Juleka shot Chloe a glare and ran out.

And... Not five minutes later, Juleka ran back in the room.

"Rose got akumatized!" she announced, her face full of panic.

Everyone but the three transfers started to panic (and Marinette faked her panic). She shoved Alya with the rest of the students, transformed without her usual talk with Tikki, and went back to the classroom to see Gaara looking kind of shocked and Sasuke looking bored as usual.

"Why aren't you running?" Ladybug demanded.

Someone entered the classroom. Ladybug tensed, but the woman in front of her did nothing more than stare at her for a long moment.

The other person's face had three scar marks on each side, two red, wave-like marks flowed over them. There was a mask, and it was a crimson red, similar to the wave lines. And - yep, there was a tail that was very still. Her hair was silky smooth, blonde with red in it. Her blue eyes had cat-like pupils, and her fingers had claws. Her clothes seemed to be loose enough to be comfortable, but closed enough to stand whipping air. Sandals were on her feet.

"And who are you?" Ladybug asked, narrowing her eyes.

"I am..." She paused, uncertain. Her eyes moved to meet Gaara's, and then she smiled, looking back up at Ladybug. "Maelstrom," she said at last. "We can figure out everything later. Now, we have an akuma to catch."

Ladybug nodded. "I haven't met her face to face yet, but I don't think this will turn out good unless we work together."

"I'm good with that," Maelstrom nodded. "Let's go."

"I don't have a clue where she is." Ladybug hopped over to the window and took out her yo-yo. The other girl didn't take anything out and sniffed the air.

"Towards the tower thing," Maelstrom pointed.

"That's the _Eiffel Tower,"_ Ladybug said incredulously. "Everyone in the world knows it's in Paris."

"I didn't," the other said quietly. "Now we should go."

They hopped out - Maelstrom leaping up and landing on a street lamp, then onto the water and darting across it.

Ladybug gaped unattractively for a few moments before letting her yo-yo loose.

~:~

"A-CHOO!"

Naruto sneezed violently on the building above the akumatized victim. She heard another person standing on the Eiffel Tower with her, yet another person after that.

"I'm Ladybug," Ladybug said graciously. Naruto glanced at her fellow hero and her mind immediately connected the dots. It didn't help that since Kurama was her Miraculous (as he'd clearly explained the night before) she was pretty much immune to illusions and could dispel them instantly.

"I'm Chat Noir," the other human said, his tone politely curious. "And you?"

"I am Maelstrom," she said proudly. "How do we defeat this... Akuma?"

She gestured loosely to the girl, who looked pretty wicked.

"She calls herself Princess Fragrance," Chat Noir said flatly. "She sprays some of her perfume in someone's face and then controls them."

"Huh," Naruto said. "That smell is overpowering." Yeah, no. She actually went noseblind like three minutes before. "I hate perfume." She leaped down and landed behind the princess, using her speed to snatch her perfume bottle out and swiftly smashing it to the ground. A black butterfly flew out, and Naruto held her finger out as Ladybug used her yoyo to get down. The black butterfly landed on Naruto's finger, and Naruto pet it carefully.

Ladybug caught it as the butterfly seemed to get enough attention, then purified it. Naruto frowned as the butterfly hovered around her stomach. She put her hand there, and the butterfly remained there for a few seconds - at least, until Naruto's stomach started warming up. Then it flew off.

"I have to go," Naruto said, eyeing the ring on Chat Noir's hand and earrings on Ladybug's ears. She'd have to get jewelry, too, so it wasn't suspicious.

She frowned as she slipped behind one of the Eiffel Tower supports, the butterfly coming back once more. Kurama came out, releasing Naruto's transformation.

 **"Naruto, this butterfly is Nooroo's - another kwami's - creations,"** Kurama said urgently. The butterfly landed on one of Kurama's tails. **"The akuma are all malevolent manifestations of Nooroo's."** Naruto frowned, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.

"So we'll have to rescue Nooroo, then?" Naruto grabbed her discarded bag and started to walk, heading to a random jewelry shop. If worst came to worst, she could use her _genjutsu_ abilities.

She walked in, seeing the jewelry on display and wondering just _what_ would suit Kurama, who had not answered her question and instead vanished into her jacket. She browsed for a few minutes, eyes caught by the blues.

She fiddled with her necklace. She'd found the pieces not long after the battle with Pein, and she wanted to find something that would match Kurama and the necklace.

Her eyes moved onto the reds, and she stopped at one particularly pretty piece.

It was a simple pendant made of what looked like ruby, and Naruto thought about swiping it. But this world was not like the place she lived before.

She eyed the price. Well, Tsunade _did_ need to lay off the sake.

With a grin, Naruto bought the necklace.

"Can it be added to this string?" she asked the woman at the desk, tapping her necklace. The woman eyed it greedily, and Naruto scowled at her. "Never mind," she snapped, snatching the bag from the woman.

The woman glared back at her and opened her mouth, but an old man entered the shop.

"Ah, Miss Naruto, you bought the necklace. Good for you. I always thought you should have something to accentuate that lovely face!"

Naruto and the lady stared at him.

"Come, come now~ We have much to discuss!" He was an older-looking man who smelled _old._ Much older than any mortal living in this part of the world.

Naruto followed him. Stupid, possibly; but if he looked and smelled like two different ages, there _had_ to be an explanation.

Plus, he knew her name.

She silently followed him to a very... Different-looking home.

"Now, I am certain you have many questions, young one." He set out teacups. "What type of tea do you prefer?"

"Jasmine," Naruto responded quickly. "I like jasmine tea."

"One pot of jasmine tea coming up. I am afraid it's instant jasmine tea." Naruto swallowed. "Now, may I see the Kyuubi? Wayzz, my miraculous friend, does not like to share names."

"And neither do I. The Kyuubi does what he wishes." Naruto watched a floating turtle appear.

 **"Yes, he does,"** 'Wayzz' said quietly. **"This is Master Fu."**

Kurama floated out of Naruto's jacket. Obviously, his appearance made Master Fu blink in surprise. It wasn't everyday (in this world) that a nine-tailed fox appeared.

 **"Hello, Wayzz. Goodbye, Wayzz."** Kurama went to snuggle back in Naruto's jacket, but the teen laughed and shook her head, pulling him out by one of his tails, very gently.

"No, no, no. Kyuubi, you have a _lot_ of explaining to do." Naruto looked at the other kwami and at the other man. "And so do you."


	4. Chapter 4

**"Marinette, I have to go somewhere for a little while,"** the little kwami that made Marinette Ladybug said, her wide eyes making Marinette nod. **"If there's an akuma, tap my head. I'll be** ** _here,_** **still, but I have to talk to another kwami."**

Marinette nodded, her mind still in working mode.

 _Who was Maelstrom?_ Obviously, Maelstrom was from China, the origin of the Miraculous.

As Marinette brainstormed, it never occurred to her to think that Tikki had never told her where exactly the kwami were from. Nor did Master Fu.

Only the Guardian was told, and that was only after Wayzz had deemed the Guardian worthy of knowing.

~:~

Plagg found himself, in the middle of his nap, in the mindscape the kwami shared.

Tikki floated there, looking worried.

 **"Plagg, they're here."**

Plagg nodded. **"I know, Tikki. I'm a little worried, too."**

 **"What are we going to do?! Wayzz only tells the Guardian, and when our holders find out, they'll want to know!"**

 **"Why don't we calm down a little,"** Plagg suggested. **"Let's call Kurama here."**

 **"KURAMA IS THE PROBLEM!"** Tikki shrieked. **"He's not** ** _stable!"_**

Plagg nodded. Kurama was one of the most powerful of the kwami, and he liked to lord it over them.

 **"Maybe he's changed."**

Tikki sighed. **"We haven't."**

Plagg snorted. **"Tikki, if Kurama's changed, then we** ** _definitely_** **have."**

Tikki's frame relaxed in defeat. **"But if he and Trixx get into an argument again -"**

 **"Then you and I will just have to knock him off his pedestal."** Plagg was not usually the voice of reason, but Kurama was...

...frustrating enough to make him one. Just like Tikki was not usually the one fretting over things.

Tikki took a deep breath. **"Let's wait until Wayzz contacts us. Maybe... Maybe Nooroo will be able to come, too."**

There was little hope for that to happen, but neither said so.

~:~

Naruto listened to the Guardian's explanation.

"Well, that's why the big turtle had to go back home." The Guardian frowned and Naruto waved away her last sentence. "It makes sense, since our home _is_ hidden from this world."

 **"Old man, why do** ** _you_** **get to know where our home is?"** Kurama's question made the Guardian blink and turn to Wayzz.

 **"I decide who is trustworthy."**

 **"Well,** ** _I_** **don't trust him."** Naruto blinked at the kwami, whose tails were suddenly glowing. **"How do I know he's not going to try to manipulate** ** _my_** **daughter into being a pathetic weakling like the last old man she trusted?"**

Naruto stared at Kurama.

"Kyuu, I'm older now -"

 **"Shut it!"** Kurama turned to her and poked her in the nose. **"You have the** ** _worst_** **judgment of all! You** ** _trusted_** **that old man, and he promised to keep you safe. It was** ** _Itachi_** **that kept you safe. Not even Kakashi kept you safe! I could only** ** _watch you suffer._** **So, no, Wayzz. I do** ** _not_** **trust your judgment because you have a bad habit of choosing the** ** _wrong_** **Guardians."**

Wayzz looked unaffected. **"You were always the hothead."** He scowled at Kurama. **"Did you just call her your** ** _daughter?"_**

Kurama grinned. **"Yes, I did. She's** ** _my_** **kit,** ** _my_** **daughter. So suck -"**

"Kyuu!" Naruto looked horrified at him. "Dear kamis _above,_ Kyuu, please, _please_ don't offend Wayzz-san and Fu-san."

 **"If they're offended, we can leave."** Kurama gave her a hopeful smile.

"Not yet," Naruto said firmly. "We all know that, if Wayzz-san and the Guardian wanted to take you, I would be able to defend myself a thousand times over." She rubbed the bridge of her nose. "What I do not understand, Wayzz-san, is why you have kept the homeland a secret, if you only tell the Guardians."

 **"It keeps all of the kwami secret and safe,"** Wayzz said. **"And it keeps the shinobi world separate. Why are you here?"**

Kurama scoffed. **"As if you need to know."**

Naruto stood. "Perhaps I will share my tale when I know that I can explain it without a panic attack," she said with a sad smile. "For now I can't do much more." She bowed to the Guardian. "My apologies, Master Fu. I have some explaining to do with my own family."

Master Fu chuckled. "I am surprised by less and less, young Uzumaki. But your hero name is a fitting one for your name's meaning."

Naruto grinned. "Thank you."

~:~

Naruto had lied. She didn't get panic attacks.

Naruto walked into their home, mechanically made some ramen, and stared at it for a long time.

 _"Everyone's scared, Naruto." The Rokudaime looked up at her ex-sensei. It had only been a month since everything had happened with the war._

 _"What do you mean?"_

 _"I mean, that even with Obito sacrificing his life for everyone there - for the jinchuurki - they're terrified that something like the Akatsuki will rise again. None of the villages want this."_

 _Naruto stared at him as ninja came - ninja she_ knew _\- and surrounded her._

 _Yamato forced her on her knees, wood binding her._

 _She traveled as an unconscious prisoner, at the very mercy of the ninja she thought she had made allies - at_ least _\- with._

 _When she woke on the island, she saw Tsunade, Shizune, A, the Sand Siblings - and Itachi._

 _But she ran into Gaara's arms, crying._

 _Because she'd done it. She'd made Hokage._

 _And they had made her leave._

Naruto started to sob at the table, putting her head on her arm and sniffling at first.

But then it was small sobs. She felt so _alone_ right then - she had no true friends to do _anything_ with.

So, she looked up at Kurama, who smiled at her.

"Ikuzo, Kurama?" she offered, and he vanished, smiling a little.

~:~

Chat Noir spotted her sitting on the Eiffel Tower.

"Hey, foxy lady," he said with a grin.

"Hi," Maelstrom greeted, looking downhearted.

"Careful, you might become akumatized if you don't turn that frown upside-down." Chat frowned at her when she didn't answer. "Okay, Maelstrom. What's wrong?"

Maelstrom heaved a sigh.

"People I trust betray me all the time. It's how I came here, to Paris." She looked rather despondent. "I mean, I can think about it, but if I do, I cry."

Chat paused. "What's so bad about crying?"

"My... Family, not the ones I live with now, but other people, always said that we were... Proud, and should never show weakness to the enemy." She lifted her head up, and her blue eyes were melancholy.

Chat saw Ladybug in the corner of his eyes.

Maelstrom stood up.

"I'm going to patrol some other area."

She vanished in a golden streak.

"Maelstrom okay?" Ladybug asked, concerned.

Chat shrugged. "She's a girl. Obviously it's complicated, right?"

Ladybug chuckled. "Chat, you have a lot to learn about us females."


	5. Chapter 5

Naruto was dozing when, as if by magic, she and Kurama were transported elsewhere. She was in her superhero clothes and that was what woke her up.

She cracked open her eyes. "Why?" she whined. "Kyuu, I'm _tired."_

She noticed the other floating kwami, but ignored them.

 **"Just sleep, my adorable human girl,"** Kurama yawned. **"The other kwami probably want to rip us a new one."**

"And they can't do it while their holders are busy doing something _else?_ I mean, come _on,_ Adrien and Marinette probably aren't here." Naruto sighed and scowled. "Whatever. Wake me in the morning."

Soft breaths were heard coming from her place.

Kurama turned to the other kwami. **"Is this an intervention?"** He noticed Trixx and Pollen. Dusuu was also hovering, looking mournful. **"Or is this where all of you at once destroy me?"**

Trixx floated forward. **"Hello, Father."**

Kurama regarded her for a long minute.

 **"You** ** _have_** **to meet your sister. She's not a kwami, but she's my precious baby."** Kurama pointed towards the sleeping human. Trixx blinked.

 **"So... Everyone's worry was for nothing? You really** ** _have_** **changed?"** Trixx asked hopefully, floating closer.

 **"Wait, Trixx."** Plagg stared at the nine-tailed kwami. **"Show us your memories from the time we left."**

Trixx gasped. **"If he's changed, we don't need pro-"**

 **"Fine."** Kurama's lazy drawl made all the kwami blink. **"But I have change to my bigger size. For Naruto's health."**

His small body glowed, and with a flash of light Kurama's larger form curled a tail around Naruto, setting her on his back.

Tikki and Plagg floated to Kurama's huge head, and like that, they reviewed his memories.

And hers, in a way.

When they were done, Trixx floated to her father.

 **"I'm sorry I didn't trust you... I -"**

Kurama chuckled. **"I rarely change, Trixx. Do not feel terrible."**

 **"What of the others? Do you know if they've changed?"**

Kurama snorted. **"We haven't seen each other for decades, Plagg. When we did it was in a life or death battle, and we were all sealed back into our hosts."**

Kurama's tail on Naruto tightened.

 **"She died, for a few minutes."** Kurama closed his eyes. **"BRAT!"**

Naruto jolted up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"What, Kurama?" she asked, her blue eyes widening at the other kwami. "Oh."

 **"Tell them how much of a bastard I was to you."** Kurama smiled.

"Fuck you, Kurama," Naruto said sourly. "I think the only time you were a real bastard when you showed me how I was created." Naruto shuddered. "And how you laughed when I kissed Sasuke! Twice!"

Kurama snorted. **"That was hilarious! He didn't know you were a girl then."**

Naruto blushed. "See! See! You're being a bastard now!"

Kurama turned into his kwami self, leaving the ninja to fall on her face with a shriek. She stood up and lunged to grab him, but he flew away from her. She fell on her face.

 **"Uncoordinated as ever,"** Kurama said, looking at her like he was superior.

"Well -" Naruto groaned and let her face fall to the floor. "I have no response to that."

Kurama chuckled at that. **"Did you ever summon a clone to do your homework?"**

Naruto stared at him for a long minute, her eyes wide.

"FUUUUCK!"

Kurama fell out of the air, he was laughing so hard.

~:~

Naruto left her room, appearing in the kitchen long enough to snatch up a couple cookies, and went back to her bedroom. It was Saturday, which meant tonight was 'Weekly Family Night', which meant she and her family had to spend the night together.

It was odd, this 'family'.

She finished her homework, which barely made any sense to her, and went out in the living room as everyone started flooding in.

Obviously, Tsunade was there with A and Killer B.

Itachi came in with a platter of chocolate chip cookies, though half of the platter was missing (Itachi glanced at Naruto as she guiltily glanced at the ground. Bastard had the nerve to freakin' _smirk_ at her!); Sasuke came out of their shared bedroom with all-black clothes on. The Sand Siblings and Fuu came out of their room, quietly talking.

And the other jinchuuriki looked a little lost.

Naruto whistled to them. "Yugito, Han, Roushi! Saved you a spot!"

And just like that, there was a large cluster of the jinchuuriki, all touching in some way.

For them, it was comforting to be touched because their chakra was similar in several ways. Plus, they make like a blanket by themselves.

The older jinchuuriki were situated at the back, with the younger jinchuuriki in the front.

It was also strange for them to simply be _alive._

"So I found this movie while I was out yesterday. It's called _The Lion King_ \- and it came with several other movies." Naruto had the decency to look a little guilty when she said 'it came with'.

(She _had_ left some money near the register after she had taken the movies. It had been an entertainment store and they were freakin' ninjas who'd stolen a tv and hijacked their neighbor's channels. It was almost natural for them to steal more crap.)

Tsunade facepalmed. "Naruto, we're not common theives."

"No, we're ninjas," Naruto smirked, still blushing. "Anyway, let's watch."

~:~

Itachi blinked when he heard someone sniffling while watching _The Lion King._

He peeked over at his brother, and there was evidence of a little crying.

Then he turned to the jinchuuriki.

 _Gaara was crying_ as Mufasa hung off the side of the cliff. Naruto wasn't much of a surprise, but the stoic jinchuuriki of the Ichibi had seen a -

He blinked again. ALL of the jinchuuriki were crying.

Tsunade stopped the movie.

"We're not watching the rest of this."

Her tone brooked no argument.

~:~

The next was _Frozen._ They watched it all. No tears were spilled during that movie.

It was Itachi who spoke at this one.

"It was the trolls."

There was a pause.

"Yeah," Naruto nodded, agreeing from the jinchuuriki pile. "Definitely the trolls.

"What makes you say it's the trolls?" Yugito's voice was melodious.

"The trolls said true love," Naruto said.

Yugito tilted her head.

"True love doesn't really exist, unless it's something like -"

Naruto stopped as her phone rang, and she took it out.

"Already got a phone?" Sasuke asked, puzzled.

"My clone got it while it was buying me some textbooks to help me figure out trig," Naruto said, frowning. "It met Marinette on the way."

She tapped it, and a keyboard went up.

"Watching _Frozen..._ " Naruto muttered. "Marinette wants to know if I could help her with math."

Itachi snorted a little.

Tsunade looked at him, frowning a little.

"What?"

"I just realized that this land operates on what civilians operate in our land," he said with a slight smirk. "So we're all uneducated."

"At least _you_ could read at twelve. Our Naru here was an illiterate moron," Sasuke said with a smirk.

Naruto smiled insincerely at him as the jinchuuriki frowned.

"I had a demonic entity inside me who was asleep most of the time, and most of the ninja hated my guts," she answered in a sugar-sweet voice. "Plus, no parents, lived alone -"

"Why didn't the Sandaime teach you?" Tsunade frowned. "I know you trusted him a lot."

"Well," Naruto said, slowly, "I think it was because his wife was one of the first casualties on the night I was born."

There was a collective wince from the Konoha-born ninja.

"What's so special about the night you were born?" A asked, his brow furrowed.

"It was the night of the Kyuubi attack, the night my parents died, and the night half of Konoha's ninja forces were depleted," Naruto deadpanned.

The other jinchuuriki exchanged looks. Gaara huddled closer to her.

"No wonder you were practically starving for affection," Sasuke muttered. "Why did you latch onto _me_ like a flea?"

"Because I _thought_ that you were a softie under that duck-ass hair," Naruto said with a grin. "Now I know that you're just a well-meaning dick." Just then, a red creature flew out from Naruto's jacket.

 **"BRAT! YOU HAVEN'T FED ME!"**

Naruto looked at the nine-tailed flying fox with a look of long-suffering.

"I haven't fed you because you told me three years ago that you didn't _need_ food."

"Naruto?" Itachi asked.

"Yes?" Naruto asked, looking at Itachi in the eyes. He liked it when she did that - nobody but Gaara looked at him in the eyes... But Gaara usually radiated murderous rage, so Itachi didn't count him much.

"What is that?"

She froze, then turned to glare at the creature.

"Kyuubi."

The Kyuubi looked at her innocently.

 **"Yes?"**

Naruto took a deep breath. " _Talk."_

 **"Oh, right,"** The Kyuubi said in a nonchalant tone. **"All us bijuu are actually creatures known as kwami."** There was a pause. **"THAT MEANS, GET YOUR COLLECTIVE ASSES OUT HERE!"**

There was obvious discomfort on the jinchuurikis' faces, and then there were nine flying creatures.

 **"Tch. Why give out our secret?"** the five tailed kwami asked, glaring at the Kyuubi.

"Please don't fight," Naruto requested. "Kyuu only told me 'cuz there are other kwami in the city."

"You even showed us in the classroom a couple days ago," Sasuke said suddenly. "Where there was an akuma attack."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. Ladybug and Chat Noir were there, too."

That got some reactions - mostly the kwami looking at the Kyuubi, who stared at them disdainfully.

 **"Have you spoken with them?"** the seven-tailed one asked with a buzz of energy.

 **"Yes,"** the Kyuubi snapped. **"Leave me alone."** He turned to Naruto. **"Get the Uchiha into the kitchen to make me some food."**

"Which one?" Naruto asked nicely.

 **"The** ** _one that cooks,_** **you moron!"**

"You know you could just _ask_ him," Naruto said flatly. "He's not going to Sharingan you into a freakin' puddle of blood."

"No," Itachi agreed placidly. "A puddle of tears, maybe." He stood up, a semi-evil idea entering his mind as he entered the kitchen.

" _Stay,"_ he heard Naruto snap at the Kyuubi before he heard her footsteps.

He held the hot sauce.

"Should I?" he wondered.

"Us jincuuriki love spice," Naruto smirked. "I've been dying to play a prank on them for a while."

Itachi nodded.

Naruto went to walk away, but stopped.

"Itachi?"

He turned to look at her, his dark eyes regarding her inquisitively.

"I don't hate you for doing what you did." She placed a warm hand on his shoulder. "In fact, I'd like... To thank you. For letting Sasuke live."

He blinked. Nobody... Not even Sasuke. Nobody had thanked him before.

"He's my foolish little brother." Itachi sighed a little.

Naruto was quiet for a moment. "You Uchihas are so strange." She looked around the kitchen. "What are we making?"

"Yes," she said with a smile.

Itachi remembered Konan, for a moment. Konan helped him in the kitchen, one of the two in the entire organization to know the reason.

 _I won't tell Pein,_ she had promised. _But promise me you'll try and help him._

She was a woman desperate to get help from someone she barely trusted.

"So... I know you were just a kid, but... Do you remember my real father? The Kyuubi doesn't know much about him, and there was only a little I knew about him from my mom." Naruto's voice was quiet and sad, and Itachi thought as he brought out instant chili.

"Father took me to meet him and your mother a few times," he said slowly. "Father and Yondaime-sama were good friends, I think. Yondaime-sama introduced me to your mother." He shivered. Thinking of that devil woman was frightening. "I was watched by her once."

"Oh?" Naruto's face was alight with curiosity.

"My mother was on a mission," Itachi recalled. "Father was busy with the police force." The chili's scent met his nose. "Your mother made chili that night. Or a variant. She told me stories of her clan."

Naruto stilled for a split second, then continued tapping her finger.

"She told me that it was fortunate my clan no longer practiced betrothals, because then you would have had to marry me. No Konoha clans did. And since she was the last Uzumaki..." Itachi paused, then turned to her. "What if I showed you?"

Naruto blinked. "No, Itachi." He turned back to the chili, slightly bitter. _She doesn't trust me._ "They're your memories."

"I thought -" Itachi let a small chuckle leave his mouth.

"I can assure you, Itachi, I trust you." He blinked at her. "What you did during the war - I thought you were really dead." Itachi looked at her, amazed. "You wouldn't believe how many times I wondered before then why you didn't just pretend to be a ramen merchant."

Itachi forced himself not to show any emotion.

"No, that was Kisame's idea." Naruto flinched a little for some reason. "I did do something similar when you were a kid. I convinced the Sandaime to allow me to set up a ramen stand in the Forest of Death." Itachi flicked a glance at her.

Her face was as red as his Sharingan as he added liberal amounts of hot sauce to the pot of chili.

Naruto walked to get the bowls, then, as Itachi silently ladled them into bowls, Naruto took one of them and poured a _ton_ of hot sauce into it.

"This is the first prank I've pulled on him," Naruto muttered with a shaky grin.

"Keep your regular smile on," Itachi ordered. "Anything less than your usual self and nobody'll believe it."

She nodded. "Got it!"

~:~

Kurama dipped the spoon into the bowl.

He eyed a perfectly stoic Uchiha, then his smiling pseudo-child.

He took the bite.

Since he wasn't in chakra-demon-mode, his taste buds were... There. So that much hot sauce?

Kurama glared at his pseudo-daughter, who took one look at him and laughed.

"He did it! Itachi made him dissolve into tears!"

Itachi shook his head, as calm as ever. "You put all that hot sauce in that bowl, dear."

"You didn't!" Naruto dramatically placed a hand over her heart.

Kurama knew, as did everyone else, that she'd actually thought about her words she'd just said.

Saying 'traitor' would only remind everyone of what they had lost.


	6. Chapter 6

No akuma attacks since Maelstrom had appeared.

Marinette checked her texts just as Naruto darted up the steps to the school, looking winded.

"You're early," Alya said in surprise.

Naruto flashed a smile. "Thanks... My idiot siblings decided not come today. According to our grandmother, they're sick, and she's the best medic around." Naruto scratched her head sheepishly. "Hey, um, do you guys happen to know someone who tutors in math and science? In our old country we didn't have to take math and science after a certain age, so... I'm afraid I'm rather behind."

"Someone needs a tutor?" asked Nino, coming up behind Naruto, who smiled as she turned - as though she knew Nino had been there. "Adrien might be able to help."

Naruto looked alarmed. "Uh... No, it's fine."

"Do you have a crush on him?" Alya asked, tilting her head.

Naruto looked at Alya as though she'd suddenly grown a horn.

"No," Naruto said, sounding a little confused. "Wait... What's a crush?"

Alya frowned. "Are you messing with me?"

"No," Naruto shook her head. "If I was messing with you it would be asking to borrow your phone and giving you a different one with paint all over it."

"Poor you," Nino said theatrically. "Blessed with gorgeousness and obliviousness."

She looked confused and flattered. "Um. Thanks?"

"Today we have gym first," Nino said after a moment. "Hey, you never told us where you lived." He turned a fake pout onto Naruto.

"Oh, I live in the big black house next to the white and black one," Naruto said, unbothered. "All my siblings are older than me and we're not related." Naruto smiled. "Sasuke may be an ass, but he's cool. Oh, and please don't worry about Gaara!" She looked suddenly scared. "Gaara's father tried to kill him multiple times, and for a time Gaara was... Unstable, but he won't hurt anyone."

"He never talks much," Marinette said with a smile.

"No," Naruto said with a smile.

"I'm an only child, so how many other siblings do you have?" Marinette eagerly asked as they waited for Adrien, who - not that Marinette saw - appeared right next to her as Naruto spoke.

"I have..." She appeared to think for a minute. "Well..." She shrugged. "Like, fourteen?"

"Wow," Alya said, stunned. "That's amazing."

Naruto snorted. "Every weekend is Family Weekend Night. This last one we watched some movies - like _The Lion King."_

"Oh, that movie makes me cry," Adrien said, making Marinette scream a little. "Especially when Scar kills Mufasa."

Naruto stared at him.

Then she burst into tears. "S-scar kills _M-mufasa?_ I didn't see that part! That's awful!"

Alya and Nino glared at Adrien.

The girl sniffled again just as a black butterfly approached her. Again. It landed on her, but it didn't transform her.

"What the _heck?!_ You are _totally_ supposed to be an akuma right now!" Alya exclaimed.

Naruto shrugged, carefully taking the black butterfly from her shoulder. "It's hard to imagine so much evil in one little butterfly."

"Evil, power..." Alya shrugged. "It turned me into Lady Wifi."

Naruto looked confused. "Sorry? Lady Why-fry?"

"No, _wifi._ Like Internet?"

Naruto looked even more confused. "Internet?"

A horrified look came over Alya.

"Oh, you poor, Internet-less creature. Let's go induct you into the wonderful world of the Internet!"

"After gym," Nino said.

"After gym!" Alya echoed.

~:~

Marinette was usually pretty good at gymnastics, though nowhere near as good as Chloe or Adrien. Putting on the tasteless gym clothes, Marinette sighed a little.

But Marinette's eyes widened as Naruto started to change. She had a massive scar on her back, right where her heart was. It looked old.

Well, okay, _massive_ wasn't the word for it. It actually looked like a burn mark, but Marinette knew better. This was an electrical burn.

"Where did you get that mark?" Marinette asked her quietly.

Naruto looked at her for a long moment.

"...it's a long story." There was a faint sadness that shadowed the other's eyes. "Suffice it to say that I nearly died."

She pulled the shirt over her head, and the subject was closed.

The gym teacher approached them.

"Today we will be doing a kilometer run," she said briskly.

Alya groaned.

"Cesaire, if you want to do two kilometers..." The teacher stopped when Naruto rose her hand. "Yes... Uzumaki?"

"May I do two kilometers?" Naruto actually looked excited.

"No," the teacher said. Naruto looked disappointed. "Start now!"

Everyone began running.

~:~

"That run sucked." Alya was privately jealous of Naruto right then - unlike everyone else, she wasn't sweating. At all.

"How are you not gasping for breath?" Alya asked.

"My sensei was a cruel, cruel man," she said in a joking tone. "No, in all seriousness, we learned how to run extremely fast because our sensei was a friend with another man, and he suggested running."

"Wow," Alya said, stunned.

"Yeah. I mean, in the end, he was a bastard, but... I still miss him." Marinette approached, in better shape than Alya but in worse shape than Naruto.

"So," Alya said. "We going to your place after school?"

Naruto shook her head apologetically. "We haven't unpacked everything," she said. "And right now, I'm not even sure I want to look through the stuff. Not ready."

Alya shrugged. "Marinette's it is."


End file.
